Delivery Man

Dir: Ken Scott

2013

**

I love Hollywood remakes of 'foreign films'. Said no one ever. Delivery Man is somewhat different though, because while it is a remake of 2011's French-Canadian comedy Starbuck, it is directed by the same guy, Ken Scott. It's a good story, I don't begrudge him wanting to have more success, it's a sad fact that a huge percentage of cinema-goers won't go to see a film if it is subtitled. I'd like to say it is their tough luck, they're missing out on some terrific films but actually, the less people who watch these films, then the less they get funded. That is not a good thing. Hopefully Ken Scott made more money in order to make some more of the films he wants to make for the people, like me, who want to see them. Delivery Man has safe written all over it, so safe in fact, that it wasn't that safe at all. Vince Vaughn pulls in audiences, I don't know why, but that is a fact. I don't think he was suited to this role but then I don't think he's been good in any role since his performance in 1996's Swingers. He should have been perfect then no? No. The story is too good for him. When people go to see a Vince Vaughn film they want his shouty comedy, they don't want to think too much, Delivery Man is far too touchy-feely for him. His friend and some-time collaborator Owen Wilson would have been far better suited in my opinion. The film itself is a carbon-copy of the original, although I thought the representation of the female characters came across a little more unfortunately in the remake. Everything that could have been corrected from the first was missed. The first film was pretty much perfect but they could have added more elements and made the story fit the American audience a little better than they did. Maybe Scott got the American audience wrong, maybe his hand was forced, I don't know but the fact remains, English language remakes remain inferior.